Wheeled toy



Oct. 8, 1929, M. R. SPENCER WHEEL ED TOY Filed Nov. 25, 1927 VENTOR /Y'%.JPENCER ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 8, 1929 UNITED STATES MILTON R. SPENCER, F WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS WHEELED TOY Application filed November 25, 1927.

r wheeled toy hav1ng a novel 'mechanlsm for propelling the toy and this mechanism being so arranged that it may be almost instantaneously set for action.

A further object of my invention is to pro- 0 vide a device of the type described which has novel means for allowing the momentum of the wheeled toy to carry thetoy for an unlimited distance after the mechanism has ceased to affect the movement and without in any way being checked by the moving mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described which is simple in construction, durable and efficient for the purpose intended, and which may be readily operated.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in whichr V Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wheeled y,

Figure 2 is a toy,

Figure 3 is an enlarged section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a section along the line et-A of Figure 3.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a body portion 1 simulating an automobile body and provided with front wheels 2 and rear wheels 3 which are rigidly mounted upon shafts 4 and 5, respectively. The shaft 4, which will be termed as the front axle shaft, extends through the body portion 1 at the forward end thereof and is rotatable with front elevation of the wheeled Serial No. 235,617.

respect thereto. The shaft 5, which is termed as the rear axle shaft, extends through the body portion at the rear end thereof and is rotatable with respect thereto.

A driven gear 6 is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 5 and is provided with tapering lugs 7. The tapering lugs 7 are provided with shoulder portions 8 which are arranged to contact with a connecting pin 9 which is rigidly carried by the shaft 5 when the driven gear 6 is rotated in one direction. A spring 10 is disposed between the side wall 11 of the body portion 1 and the driven gear for allowing the gear to move out of operative engagement with said pin when rotated in the opposite direction. V

A relatively large reduction gear 12 is rotatably mounted upon a stub shaft 13 which is carried by the side wall 11 and is in mesh with thedriven gear 6. A reduction pinion 14 is made rigid to the reduction gear 12 and is also mounted upon the stub shaft 13. A relatively large drive gear 15 is rigidly mounted upon a shaft 16 which is carried by the body portion 1 and is in mesh with the reduction pinion 14. The shaft 16 is provided with an integral lever 17 which extends through the body portion 1 and is positioned substantially parallel with the side wall thereof. Stop members 18 and 19 are car ried by the side wall 1.1 of the body portion 1 for limiting the movement of the lever 17.

A plurality of lugs 20 is stamped from the drive gear 15 and in effect forms a laterally projecting drum on one side of the gear. The lugs 20 are disposed in a circuitous path which is concentric with the shaft 16and at right angles with respect to the drive gear 15. An expansion spring 21 has one of its ends rigidly secured at 22 to the forward end of the body portion 1 and the other end secured to the gear 15 by bending one of the lugs 20 therearound, as shown in Figure 3. i

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The operator by holding the body portion 1 with one hand may grip the lever 17 and swing the lever from the solid line position shown in Figure 1 to the dotted line position. During this movement of the lever 17, the drive gear 15 and drum formed by the lugs 20 rotate about three-quarters of a revolution, taking with it the attached end of the spring and allowing the spring to wind upon the outer surfaces of the lugs 20 constituting the drum.

By releasing the lever 17 and placing the wheels 2 and 3 upon the floor, the tension of the spring 21 will rotate the drive gear 1'5, which in turn will rotate the driven gear 6 through the reduction pinion l4: and the reduction gear 12. This rotation of the driven gear 6 will cause the shoulders 8 of the tapered lugs 7 to engage with the pin 9 of the shaft 5 and rotate the shaft 5 together with the rear Wheels 3 for moving the toy forwardly. The tension of, the spring 21 will continue the movement of the toy until the spring has reached its normal position-that position shown in solid lines in Figure 8. After the spring 21 ceases to actuate the gears, the spring 10 will allow the driven gear 6 to move outwardly so that thelugs 7 may ride over the pin 9 and allow the momentum of the toy to continue the forward movement thereof.

Theoutstanding features of this toy are: first, the rapidity in wliich the driving mechanism may be actuated for propelling the toy when released, and second, the novel means for allowing the momentum of the toy to further the movement thereof without being interteredwith by the driving mechanism.

I claim: i

1. In a toy of the class described, a body, ground engaging Wheels supporting the body, and driving means for said ground engaging wheels including a rotary drive gear carried by the body and provided at one side with a laterally projecting drum, an operative connection between said drive gear and certain of said ground engaging wheels, actuating means for said drive gear including alongitudinally extensible member terminally connected to said body and drum, and means for winding said member upon said drumincluding a lever movable over one side of the body and having a portion extending transversally of the body and operatively connected to said drive gear. v

2. In a toy of the class described, a body, a drive axle extending transversely with respect to. said body, a rotatable drive gear within the body, gear means operatively connecting said drive gear to said drive axle, means projecting laterally from one side of said drive gear and constituting a drum, a power element including a spring connected to the body and drum and adapted to wind upon and be tensioned by the said drum, and means for actuating the drive gear to rotate the drum and tension the spring, including a lever movable over one side of the body and having a portion extending transversely of the body and constituting a rotary support for said drive gear.

3. In a toy of the class described, the combination with a drive shaft, a drive gearhaving a diameter of substantially three inches, gearing operatively connecting said drive gear to said drive shaft, a drum upon one side of and substantially equal in diameter to said drive gear, a power element including a spring extending substantially tangentially to said drum and adapted to be wound upon same, and means including a lever for rotating the drive gear to cause the spring to be wound upon and tensioned by said drum, whereby upon release of said last mentioned means the power element will becomeactive to rotate the drum and drive gear and cause the gearing to rotate the drive axle.

i. In a toy of the class described, the com bination with a drive shaft, avdrive gear having a diameter of substantially three inches, means including a one way clutch operatively connecting said drive gear to said drive shaft, spring means, for rotating the drive gear, and means for placing said spring means under tension including means carried by the drive gear for stretching the spring means, and a lever having a portion connected to and movable with said drive gear, whereby upon movement of said lever in one direction to tension the spring means, said drive gear and drive axle will rotate in unison, the action of the spring means upon the release of said lever being such as to cause the drive gear,

lever and axleto move in unison and, through the operation of the one way clutch, to cause the drive shaft to continue rotating after both the spring means and drive gear have been rendered inactive.

5. In a toy of the class described, a body, a drive axle extending transversely with respect to said body, a drive gear carried by the body, gearing operatively connecting said drive gear to said drive axle, means for rotat-V ing said drive gear, including a lever having a portion movable over one side of the body and having another portion connected to and constituting a rotary support for said drive gear, and a lug projecting from the body in the path of and constituting a stop for the first mentioned portion of said lever.

6. In a toy of the class described, the combination with a drive shaft, a drive gear entirely separate from and in spaced relation to said drive shaft and having a diameter of substantially three inches, means operatively connecting said drive gear to said drive shaft, said gear being provided upon one side thereof with means constituting a drum, a power element including a longitudinally extensible member extending substantially tangentially to said drum, so as to be Wound upon the same, and means for rotating the drum to cause the longitudinally extensible member to be Wound upon and tensioned by said drum, whereby upon release of said last mentioned means the power element Will become active to rotate the drum and cause the drive gear and drive axle to rotate in unison, said last mentioned means including a lever connected directly to the drive gear.

Signed at Voodstock in the county of Me- Henry and State of Illinois this 19th day of November, A. D., 1927.

MILTON R. SPENCER. 

